Going Out for a Meal - The Awkward Moment When Someone Says...

Humphrey10

PasturesNew wrote: »

People ordering just one course won't be doing that though, they'll be sitting and smiling and wondering how on earth one person can shovel so much in.

I struggle to finish one course, I wouldn't be a hungry drooler. I also probably wouldn't even like what you're eating so wouldn't be drooling and wouldn't be hungry as my main course would be enough.

Maybe you just feel guilty for your gluttony.

So you wouldn't be hungry, waiting an hour or so for your meal while everyone else eats their starters? How unusual. It's quite normal to be hungry before a meal, you know.

You struggle to finish one course? That's really not common. Eating 3 courses is normal in restaurants, not gluttony.

I'm vegetarian, and I don't drink alcohol. My meal always costs less than other people, but I've never complained about splitting the bill.

Carl31

PasturesNew wrote: »

Somebody who has brought enough money to pay their way CAN afford it. What I couldn't afford to do is carry you.

If people can't afford to pay their own way - THEY should be the ones not going.

but, the entire situation is reciprocated, as I can have my king prawns, you are quite entitled to have the fillet steak and that extra cheesecake you liked so much the first time

in a group of many, the difference is negligable anyway most of the time

pimento

Timmne wrote: »

I don't go out with her any more!

I dropped a friend who sat on her hands whenever a bill came and then took great delight in telling me she was saving £500 a month.

PasturesNew

Carl31 wrote: »

but, the entire situation is reciprocated, as I can have my king prawns, you are quite entitled to have the fillet steak and that extra cheesecake you liked so much the first time

in a group of many, the difference is negligable anyway most of the time

I'd probably be having a chilli/rice and no dessert though. It's not negligible - and it's not negligible when it happens every time and you're the least well off round the table. It's tough affording to go out; to then be ceremoniously ripped off and mocked by people kind of makes you not want to go again.

Humphrey10

PasturesNew wrote: »

Eating alone's horrible - and I've been turned away from many empty restaurants in the past for asking for a "table for one".

I spent a few months having to eat in restaurants alone because I was away for work, I was never turned away.

It's great eating alone in a restaurant, you can do things you couldn't do in a group - you can spread your newspaper all over the table to read while you eat, you can be as slow or as quick at eating as you like, you can eat as little or as much as you like, if you decide you don't like the look of the place you can walk out and choose another restaurant, and there is no arguing about the bill afterwards.

Mayflower10cat

We've recently started a 'Dinner Club', a group of 12 or so friends go out once a month (not everyone goes each time, depending on other commitments) to various restaurant/pub eateries and we use a local taxi-minibus 8-seater service, as we're in a tiny village. We tend to pick places that do a set price menu - two or three courses for X - and agree in advance whether to do two or three courses. We drink in the bar on arrival and pay individually. At the table we order say three bottles of house wine. Whoever booked the venue sticks the lot on their credit card and we all stick a few ££s on the plate for a tip. Next day, we get an email saying what we owe to the host - and it's always born in mind that two of our friends don't drink so we don't make them pay for ours as it's not fair. It's worked out well so far, no-one takes the mick and six months on we're giving business to the local taxi company (they charge us a job lot price, not per head nor per mile) and it's worked out very well. I honestly think the solution is to agree in advance how the bill will be split.

PasturesNew

Mayflower10cat wrote: »

We've recently started a 'Dinner Club', a group of 12 or so friends go out once a month (not everyone goes each time, depending on other commitments) to various restaurant/pub eateries and we use a local taxi-minibus 8-seater service, as we're in a tiny village. We tend to pick places that do a set price menu - two or three courses for X - and agree in advance whether to do two or three courses. We drink in the bar on arrival and pay individually. At the table we order say three bottles of house wine. Whoever booked the venue sticks the lot on their credit card and we all stick a few ££s on the plate for a tip. Next day, we get an email saying what we owe to the host - and it's always born in mind that two of our friends don't drink so we don't make them pay for ours as it's not fair. It's worked out well so far, no-one takes the mick and six months on we're giving business to the local taxi company (they charge us a job lot price, not per head nor per mile) and it's worked out very well. I honestly think the solution is to agree in advance how the bill will be split.

Well, that works for some... but what if, one night, you're on your way home and you have to pop into a shop in town and you bump into one of those 12, who is with a bunch of work colleagues and says they're meeting another one of the 12 and you're all going off for a meal right now - and you should come too ... and you think how your fridge contains one egg and there's 2 slices of bread left... then you're being urged to go. So you say "OK" .... but at the restaurant it turns out the work colleagues are part of a leaving do that started 3 hours ago and the 2nd one of the 12 you know never showed up.... and boy this group can eat for England.

So you sit and politely choose a curry/chips and chat and listen, then up goes the cry "SPLIT THE BILL .... BUT NOT XXX AS IT'S HER LEAVING DO!!"

Now what?

[Deleted User]

Then, you pick up some courage and say "I only had X, X and X". Here's my £10. And don't worry about it

PasturesNew

Humphrey10 wrote: »

So you wouldn't be hungry, waiting an hour or so for your meal while everyone else eats their starters? How unusual. It's quite normal to be hungry before a meal, you know.

You struggle to finish one course? That's really not common. Eating 3 courses is normal in restaurants, not gluttony.

I'm vegetarian, and I don't drink alcohol. My meal always costs less than other people, but I've never complained about splitting the bill.

I've never waited an hour for a meal.... within an hour it's usually nearly over and bill time.

PasturesNew

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Then, you pick up some courage and say "I only had X, X and X". Here's my £10. And don't worry about it

And the person you know is twittering about you to all and sundry under the tablecloth

I bet that happens nowadays too.